Ice Cream vs Sherbet

One of the less common variations of a frozen dessert is sherbet. Whilst you might not be fully aware of what a sherbet is and how it differs from ice cream and sorbet, stick around; I’ll go through all the differences between them.

Essentially, a sherbet is a sorbet with one difference; there’s a drop of milk added. This milk makes all the difference in taste and texture. A sherbet is somewhere between a sorbet and a gelato, though you could probably notice the difference pretty easily if you eat them often enough like I do. Lets have a quick look at the differences between the two.

Quick Roundup

If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to check out the full article, I’ve decided to round it up in this quick list of Pros and Cons of both gelato and ice cream. These are;
[column type=”1/2″]Sherbet

Much lower in fat content than ice cream. Must be below 2% fat content to be served as a sherbet.

Because of this less fat, it’s usually much lower in calories

Doesn’t use cream traditionally (thought it can), just milk or buttermilk. This minimizes the fat content.

Great for making alcohol fused dessert (Champagne Sherbet, mmmm).

[/column] [column type=”1/2″ last=”true”]Ice Cream

Made with the same churning process as sherbet, but usually thicker consistency due to it’s ingredients

More fat due to the use of cream

Served colder than sherbet traditionally

Must be minimum 10% fat to be classified as ice cream

Much more common than sherbet, though many sherbets masquerade under the name ‘low fat’ ice cream.[/column]

These are the primary differences between ice cream and sherbet. Whilst they aren’t significant, they will undoubtedly give you a different tasting result at the end of their production. Let’s delve a little deeper into what sherbet really consists of, and how it compares to ice cream.

Ingredients

You won’t notice much of a difference in the ingredients of a sherbet and an ice cream. Generally, the only difference between the two is that a sherbet does not use a cream like ice cream. Instead, sherbet is a more fruit based dessert with a touch of milk – think a sorbet with a little extra! Here’s an idea of the basic ingredients of a sherbet;

Sugar

Water

Fruit puree/juices

Whole milk

Of course, this is just the basis of your sorbet and you can decide yourself what kind of fruits and additional flavors you’d like to add.

Carbs

Sherbet has significantly more carbs and sugars than ice cream. This is because it is primarily made up for cane sugar and fruit juices, whereas ice cream has a larger ratio of fat content. For this reason, you should probably avoid a sherbet if you’re on any sort of low carb or ketogenic diet, as a sherbet will probably have your daily allowance of carbohydrates in one serving!

Fat Content

This is the primary difference between a sorbet and a sherbet. Whereas a sorbet is just fruit puree, water and sugar, a sherbet has a little milk added. This increases it’s fat content, but it still pales in comparison when compared to the high fat content of ice cream.

The fat content of your sherbet will depend on the type of milk that you use. Usually, it’s advised that you use whole milk for the best results, though this is entirely down to you. I personally wouldn’t use skimmed milk, as I don’t think that it gives a good result – the point of a sherbet is that it’s a little creamier than a sorbet!

You should probably avoid eating ice cream if you’re on a strict low calorie diet and opt for a sherbet or a sorbet instead.

Protein

Both ice cream and sherbet have a low protein content, though a sherbet will have a little bit more due to the fact that it’s made with more milk (this isn’t set in stone and depends on the recipe that you use).

One thing that I like to advise if you’re trying to increase the protein content of your desserts is to add a little whey protein. This can dramatically increase the amount of protein in your dessert, without having too much effect on the taste. Make sure to get the same flavor whey as your dessert though, or you could opt for an unflavored whey protein that will work with any flavor of sherbet.

Which is better for dieting?

Neither! Haha just kidding! Both sherbet and ice cream should be eaten sparingly if you’re on a very strict diet, although you can still eat ice cream every day and lose weight!

In terms of which is better for dieting, it would have to be sherbet as it has a much lower fat content than ice cream, therefore usually slightly less calories. Of course, this all depends on the brand and type of ice cream/sherbet that you purchase. FYI, it’s never going to be okay to eat Ben & Jerrys on a diet, stop trying to convince yourself(!).

Taste

Texture

Texture wise, a nice sherbet will actually combine both the creaminess of a traditional ice cream whilst allowing you to get the same refereshing feeling that you get from eating a sorbet. Remember that to be considered a sherbet, it has to be less than 2% fat. This means that your dessert will undoubtedly be lighter in texture than an ice cream, because it lacks the same amount of fat.

Variety of Flavors

Generally, you’ll find the same amount of flavors in both sherbet and ice cream. However, this is not the case if you’re looking at alcohol infused desserts.

Things like champagne work perfectly with a sherbet and you’ll often see it as an option in restaurants around the country. This is because a champagne sherbet has a certain lightness that you won’t get from ice cream. Saying this, fuller alcohols like Baileys work better with ice cream, as they complement the creaminess.

Allergies

You’ll come across the same allergy issues with sherbet as you will with ice cream. If you have an intolerance to dairy, you can always look at using a soy milk as opposed to a whole milk in your sherbet, though it will undoubtedly have an effect on the taste and texture of your dessert.

Top Brands

If I’m going to eat a tub of sherbet, I always make sure to stick with a flavor that I know. The most commonly eaten sherbet is undoubtedly orange. If I’m going to eat orange sherbet, I’ll definitely go for an Edy’s Orange Sherbet . It’s pretty low in calories as it’s made with skim milk – not my usual choice, but it’s seems to work with this sherbet.

As usual, for ice cream I always tend to stick with Breyer’s as my favorite brand of ice cream. I think it’s just because I like the texture; you can’t go wrong with Breyer’s!

My favourite Gelato recipes

If you’re looking to make your own gelato, I thought I’d better round up some of my favorite options.

Overall Verdict

To conclude, a sherbet and an ice cream aren’t particularly similar. You’d be more accurate comparing a sherbet to a sorbet, as they are both based on fruit purees. Remember; a sherbet is essentially just a sorbet with a little milk added!